In a 3D virtual space typified by Second Life, users can carry out various transactions including those for provided goods or service through cartoon representations of themselves called avatars. However, for example, since everybody can get a login ID and a password on the Second Life site, they can all enter the 3D virtual space on the Second Life site in principle. Therefore, for the owner or the manager who operates a store in the 3D virtual space, it is difficult to determine that a user (as a customer) visiting the store is a harmless user. On the other hand, in the 3D virtual space, since everybody can operate a store by renting a community space from an administrator of the 3D virtual space, it is difficult for the user side to determine the authentication of the store (which can be identified as the store manager operating the store), or a server system managing the store (which can be identified as the administrator operating the server system).
In the 3D virtual space, even if a user intends to communicate with a store clerk avatar through its own avatar (hereinafter called “user avatar”), the user may communicate in such a manner that a third party avatar can hear the user without intending to do so or the third party avatar can get the transaction content. Further, the communication content with the store clerk avatar may be announced in the store. Thus, there is a problem with the confidentiality of the transaction content. Further, a malicious third party avatar may pretend to be a store clerk avatar. In such a case, the user avatar can speak to the malicious third party avatar. As a result, the user can involve in a scam such as a phishing scam in which the user gets wrong information from the malicious third party or purchases a product at a high price. Further, the store itself may be a phishing scam.
As conventional techniques, there are sites on which a link to an existing website in a 3D virtual space is so provided that users can conduct transactions on the website upon purchasing a product. In the transactions on the website, there is a protocol, for example, using an SSL (Secure Socket Layer) for encrypting information between transactors and sending/receiving it to improve the security. However, in the transaction on the website, unlike the transaction in the 3D virtual space, the user cannot view the product in three dimensions. Further, upon conducting a transaction in the 3D virtual space, since the user can have a chat or audibly communicate with a store clerk avatar through the user avatar in real time, the user can conduct a transaction in the same manner as the transaction carried out in the real world (real life). On the other hand, upon conducting a transaction on the website, the user cannot hear a store clerk in real time. Further, in the transaction on the website, the user has once to get out of the 3D virtual space onto the website, and this is operationally complicated.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) No. 2004-192451 discloses a virtual space remote control. The virtual space remote system allows users to control consumer electronic devices connected in a home network using a game-like user interface having a virtual space in such a manner to share the private virtual space among limited members. However, in the private virtual space, the user just performs access control using his or her individual ID and password.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) No. 2002-312612 discloses a virtual space providing method for realizing a virtual life. In the virtual space providing method, a virtual town space is formed in advance on a server accessible via a network, and a virtual room for a character symbolizing a user is opened in the town space. Thus, the virtual room is just built anew as part of a building within the virtual space.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) No. 2001-154966 discloses a system for supporting a virtual conversation in which a plurality of users can participate in a shared virtual space. In the conversation supporting system, even if communication partners do not exist in an identical shared virtual space, a virtual cellular phone of an avatar, a telephone in the real world, or a telephone in another virtual space is connected. In this case, the virtual cellular phone just allows avatars existing in other virtual spaces to communicate each other.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) No. 10-240966 discloses an object operation confirming method in a 3D virtual space. In the operation confirming method, a rehearsal space for confirming the operation of an object is displayed. In the rehearsal space, other objects and users to be in contact with the object upon the operation of the object are represented as simplified objects. However, the rehearsal space is provided merely for confirming the operation of the object and nothing to do with the transaction.
As still another technique, there is an example in which there is a room for business negotiation in a 3D virtual space. However, the number of business negotiation rooms is limited and this cannot be applied to a store in which goods are displayed for sale.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) No. 2004-192451, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) No. 2002-312612, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) No. 2001-154966, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) No. 10-240966, and Japanese Application No. 2007-302801 filed Nov. 22, 2007 are examples of the related art.